[16:10] New backer goal / Stretch Goal slipped in last week?

[17:07] What kind of things can we expect from these backer things? (effect skills)

We’re going to be changing up the appearance of these effects from botha color standpoint and the added effects.

Going to make you stand out as a backer from other players who didn’t back the kickstarter

[17:44] Would two augmented skills have another effect?

All the special effect skins will apply to the skill regardless of it’s augment

[18:20] Will there be other options after the kickstarter is over for people who missed it?

Yes, we are planning on having different access packages (like alpha/beta)

Additional cosmetics

Make sure that people who didn’t participate in the kickstarter have the ability to get some rewards as well.

[19:12] What are you going to do in terms of adding/funding future content (like other subscription games?)

The great thing about being a subscription game is that we can do both the big updates with the big expansions and content that gets released little by little between those big expansions

Because of the technology we’re working on it’s easy to slip in new small things

The reason we’re going with a subscription based system is to help fund continued content being produced.

The process we have in place allows us to use smaller content updates over time.

[20:45] Will there be any other methods by which you can pay for a sub? (in-game currency/etc)

We will not go down the route of selling in-game currency yet.

We want to make sure there is no interaction between any pay to win kind of currency.

More than likely not at this point but that may change in the future.

[21:40] Could you expand on the basic overview of classes and how they behave/play in a group?

We do have a resemblance to the classic trinity with the DPS, somewhat of support and the tank. Those can combine in a group and can be customized based on where the players want to go with their roles and their secondary classes

More blog posts coming about each of the classes going into much more detail in the coming months.

[23:00] Bard, one of the more specific roles. How will this actually play? ([Steven] said it would be different than how it’s typically played)

Previously (in other games) bards tend to be a relatively passive way of playing. We want every class to be viable and to make you feel like you are doing something (your moment to moment play is fun).

A lot of the gameplay will be based on combos and reacting to what you’re fighting, movement from the front line to the back line.

Want to make sure you’re not just sitting at the back playing a lute and not having fun.

Going to see a lot of interaction between how the party functions as a whole and how the Bard playing alone interacts with himself.

[24:20] Underrealm; How will season's work underground?

The seasons above ground will inform what happens underneath

Not a direct 1:1 correlation but you will see the effects from above happen down below

Ex: tunnels might be flooded

Won’t see it snowing/raining underground

[25:32] Underrealm; Will caravans work the same as they do on surface? Will there be issues with tight caverns, choke points for PvP etc?

Not really; when you’re picturing tight caverns...that gets kind of boring after a while. We’re planning to have some tight caverns but also much larger open areas

Kind of a hollow earth….but not literally

[26:54] Underrealm; Is there going to be enough room for the leader of a metropolis to fly a dragon around? Use siege mechanics like trebuchets?

It’s going to have room for that to play out

There will be a sizable Z-Axis especially where Metropolises will grow.

Still not sure entirely; the full answer will depend on how much room they actually have.

[27:50] Underrealm; How will the freeholds underground be different?

Similarly how you will see freeholds have certain crops that are available based on season, you will also see certain crops available because that freehold is available under ground (like mushrooms).

Can only ever have one Freehold

[28:42] Taming/Breeding; Pokemon daycare or will there be deep mechanics?

There’s going to be mechanics to it; Genetic lines reacting to the ingredients depending upon the mount/creature you’ve obtained

It's going to be an exploratory profession where you try to find out what kind of food affects it, what kind of season affects it

Astrological signs confirmed?

[29:33] World; Will there be any biomes that will be more unusual or follow an alternate path of realism?

Yes 100%.

We are a high fantasy game. That means that outside of the traditional sorts of environments you’re going to start seeing some crazy and wild stuff which will also change based on seasons. It will change not just based on snow and rain but other things.

[30:24] Will Biomes and Seasons have a combined effect on the player?

We have discussed how seasons/biomes will interact with skills like a fireball in winter might work slightly different than summer.

[30:55] Would a mage who has frost type spells in a snow biome have stronger spells?

Frost spells might have a higher chance to proc a freeze or something similar

We still have to look and balance it all out.

Want to have a nice spread of abilities that are influenced by the zones

Not just exclusive to PvE (extends to PvP)

[31:48] Religion; What advantages/progression will religion give you as you advance within in it?

The religion system in and of itself is like a society in itself.

Going to have advancements in the church itself

That is going to reflect your interaction with the religious community. Performing quests/building temples, etc.

Going to have additional augments/customizations based on your religion and that is going to reflect the religion/deity.

Organization choices will affect what types of augments/skills you have access to, including religion.

We want them all to have a strong flavor but also have mechanical systems to back that up.

[33:39] Religion; What determines a players position in the hierarchy of the religion?

It depends on their dedication to the religion itself; their performance when it comes to certain religious objective; their contribution to the religion itself.

[34:12] Religion; Will there be a science based path that players can progress down for players who don’t use the religious system?

The thing is that in this world there are actual gods who exist and you see them.

You can abstain from going down the religious advancement path if you want, but you’re going to miss out on extra side-grade options (won’t miss out on direct power-up).

There’s no real atheists in the game because the gods regularly interact with the mortals of the world.

[35:40] PvP; What kinds of things in AoC will be “open world” and objectively fought over?

The interesting thing outside of PVP for certain things like caravans, sieges of nodes and castles; you’re going to have political fights that may occur and resource fights that may occur.

We’re taking guild politics to a new level by having open world objective based scenarios

Like when you declare war on another guild, you choose what type of war

This determines what the objectives of the war will be, as well as the rewards for winning and penalties for losing.

Wars will have a definitive end (will not drag on forever) and one side will be determined to be the winner.

[37:40] Will you be catering to both crowds (PvP/PvE) down the line?

We can’t ignore PVP, it’s such an integral part to our game.

We understand that it [PvP] may not appeal to everyone, but the PvE and PvP both feed off each other and rely on each other for advancement.

PvP allows for the element of real stakes to be part of the game

Not everybody is going to a winner and that’s OK

[39:21] Are you going for a more linear design with dungeons/raids? Or will there be bigger/complex non-linear dungeons/raids with choices?

There’s going to be a little bit of both

We want the environment to be a character, and in order for that to happen these places have to be interesting and therefore has to be dynamicism and therefore different types.

[40:25] Are you satisfied with the monster coin system as it is currently?